


The Intergalactic Social Event of the Decade

by Vicky Ocean (VickyOcean), VickyOcean



Category: Stargate: SG-1
Genre: Drama, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-12-09
Updated: 2011-06-07
Packaged: 2017-10-20 05:50:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 19,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/209433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VickyOcean/pseuds/Vicky%20Ocean, https://archiveofourown.org/users/VickyOcean/pseuds/VickyOcean
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Carter's wedding. On the bride's side are Taur'i, Nox, Asguard, Tok'ra, Jaffa, and maybe even a couple of Ancients. Chaos will ensue.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Color Coordination

**Author's Note:**

> All standard disclaimers apply. Just for kicks, pallies.
> 
> Set in Season 8. AU after Affinity.
> 
> Originally written in 2004-2005. My very first Stargate fic. A touch on the screwballl comedy side. I think I watched The Philadelphia Story one to many times.

**  
Part 1   
**

 

Pete groggily fumbled for the phone on the nightstand and brought it to his ear. "Hello?"

 

"Gimme Carter," a gruff voice ordered.

 

"Carter?" Pete repeated in sleep induced confusion. "Oh, Sam… you mean Sam. Yeah, hold on." Pete nudged Sam's sleeping form beside him. "Sam, telephone." She stretched out her hand and Pete placed the phone in it. "Hello?" she mumbled trying to clear the sleepy fog from her mind.

 

"That was quick," a familiar gravelly voice answered.

 

She was suddenly very clearheaded and more than slightly pissed at his tone. "What's that supposed to mean, sir?" she asked sharply but, of course, she knew what he meant.

 

"Nothin', Carter. Only that your boy Pete must be pretty close by."

 

"As a matter of fact, _sir_ , he's right here beside me in bed." Pete raised an eyebrow at that statement, but she ignored him.

 

"Too much information, Carter."

 

"Then what the hell was your point, sir?"

 

"No point. Just an observation."

 

"What do you want, sir? And the fate of the universe had better be in jeopardy."

 

"Testy, aren't we, Carter? Long night?"

 

"What do you want, sir?" she repeated in a tone that might be called insubordinate.

 

"I was thinkin'-"

 

"Did you hurt yourself, sir?"

 

"Watch it, Carter. I'm trying to be nice."

 

"Oh, really?"

 

"Yes, really. I figured since today was your last day for a while you might want to pick the color, y'know like old times. We can even neglect to tell Daniel, since Jonas isn't around to screw with anymore." Sam tried to fight the smile growing on her face as she felt her irritation drain away. Damn it. She wanted to be pissed at him. He had been an ass, but God help her, she could not stay mad at Jack O'Neill for an extended period of time. She realized how much she missed the way they used to call each other to verify what color BDUs to wear for the day. It hadn't been necessary really. They'd long since had a system worked out for that. But after Daniel had ascended, they both craved the additional contact that helped ease the loneliness and allowed them a harmless venue to tease and flirt (and screw with Jonas's head). "That is very nice of you, sir.'

 

"See, Carter, I can do nice on occasion," the earlier gruffness left his voice and she could practically imagine the playful half smile on his face. She loved that smile.

 

"Yes, sir, you can. So what color?"

 

"Oh, I thought you might like to decide."

 

"Oh, sir, you _are_ being very nice, but there are a lot of factors to consider."

 

"You're absolutely right, Carter. There are a lot of pros and cons to green or blue. It's not a decision to take lightly."

 

"Hmmm. What's your advice, sir? You know how much I respect your color sense."

 

"Well," he paused a moment considering. "If you really want my opinion…"

 

"I do, sir, I do," she replied quickly.

 

"Then I'll have to go with blue. It matches your Jell-O."

 

"Excellent point, sir. Besides Daniel never picks blue on his own."

 

"Colonel, have I told you how much I love your devious streak?"

 

"No, General, you haven't."

 

"Well, I do. Immensely." There was silence on the line as they both suddenly realized the implications of what he just said. After a few tense moments, he said, "Um, blue, then?"

 

"Yes, sir. And by chance, will there be donuts this morning?" she asked trying to inject some lightness back into the conversation.

 

"Donuts? Yes, Colonel Carter, I can assure you there will indeed be donuts this morning." She could hear the smile back in his voice which kind of ruined the Teal'c impression.

 

"Chocolate iced?"

 

"Of course. Only the best for my favorite geek."

 

"You, sir, are a god among false gods."

 

"I know."

 

"Smug too."

 

"I never denied it."

 

"So you'll let Teal'c know, sir?" she asked winding down the banter.

 

"Yeah, sure, you betcha. See you in a bit, Carter."

 

"Bye, sir." Sam was still smiling to herself as she hung up the phone and climbed out of bed.

 

"Soooo…"

 

She turned around startled by Pete's voice. In the course of her conversation with General O'Neill she'd forgotten all about Pete. She could feel her skin flush at the thought of him listening to their chat.

 

Pete propped his head up on his fist and smiled teasingly at her, "Do you flirt with all generals like that or just O'Neill?"

 

"What?" Her blush deepened.

 

"Oh, come on, Sam. You have that man wrapped around your little finger. No wonder you got promoted so soon after he did." His tone was playful and teasing and she detected no malice in it but it didn't fail to raise her ire.

 

She fixed him with a steely blue glare. "If you think for one damn moment that I haven't worked my ass off for every damn promotion then you got another thing coming. General O'Neill would never-"

 

"Whoa, whoa, babe. Hold on, " He held his hands up in defense. " I'm just kidding. I know you deserve everything you've got. I'm sorry. Don't kill me, please, Miss Super Lady."

 

Sam forced her self to calm down. She knew he didn't mean anything by it. "It's okay." She gestured towards the bathroom door. "I've got to get ready."

 

"I'll make breakfast," he offered.

 

"Don't worry about it. The general's bringing me chocolate iced donuts," she replied with a quirky smile he hadn't really ever seen from her before. Pete thought it best not to think to hard on how it was brought on by General O'Neill's donuts.

 


	2. Coffee and Donuts

**Part 2 **

 

"Oh, c'mon, Jack." Daniel pleaded. "Why can't we have a Starbucks on base?"

"You mean on our extra super classified top secret base?"

"Yeah, that one."

"How about one on the Alpha Site, too?"

"Could we?"

"That'd be a BIG "no" on both counts, Danny-boy."

"Okay. So it might be a bit of a security risk."

"Ya think?"

"How about my own personal barrista?"

"Um- No."

"Why not? You ordered the commissary to always have blue Jell-O on hand for Sam. Can't you at least send one of the kitchen staff to barrista school? I deserve this. I've saved the world, too, you know."

Jack turned to Teal'c, "You think we can get Jonas back? I know he had that creepy smile, but he hardly ever whined."

"Shall I attempt to contact Kelowna now, O'Neill?"

"Thanks a lot, Teal'c, ' Daniel glared at him and then turned his attention back to Jack. "C'mon, Jack, you're a general. You can do anything."

"Give it a rest, Danny. No wonder Oma descended you."

"Hey, guys. Sir." Sam greeted them as she took her seat at the table. She lifted the lid of the donuts and pulled out a chocolate iced one.

Daniel looked at her BDUs. Blue. He looked at Jack and Teal'c's. Blue. He looked at his own. Green. "Hey, how come you didn't tell me you changed the color for today?"

Jack looked innocently at Sam. "You didn't call Daniel?"

"No, sir, "she replied looked equally innocent at Teal'c. "I thought Teal'c was going to call him."

"And I thought, you were going to call him, O'Neill."

Jack grinned at Daniel. "Oops."

"Maybe I'll call Kelowna myself." Daniel sighed as he poured Sam a cup of coffee. He suddenly realized his earlier request. "Sam, tell Jack I need my own personal barrista. He'll do anything you ask."

"Shut up, Daniel, " Sam snapped and jerked the cup away from Daniel spilling some coffee on the table.

Daniel was shocked by her sudden anger, "Um, ah, okay."

Jack quirked his scarred eyebrow at Sam's sharpness. "Thank you, Carter. He's been whining about that all morning. Right, T?"

"Indeed."

***

There was a soft knock on his office door. Without bothering to look up from the papers he was reading, Jack called out, "Come."

"Sir?"

"Carter," he studied her standing tentatively in the door way. "I figured you would already be out of here."

"I'm just leaving now, sir. I wanted to come by and let you know if you need me for anything-"

"Stop, Carter. I think we might be able to do without you for a little while."

"Are you sure, sir?"

"We can handle it. You've trained us well," he gave her a slightly wistful smile. "Enjoy yourself, Carter. You deserve this."

"Thank you, sir. You'll be at General Hammond's on Friday, right?"

"Undomesticated equines and all."

"Good. Then good night, sir." She nearly door shut before she stuck her head back in. "If there's anything-"

"Just go, Carter. That's an order."

"Yes, sir," She smiled briefly at him and closed the door behind her.

Jack stared at the closed door for a moment and sighed heavily. This was going to be one of those nights. He pushed his paperwork out the way and pulled out the bottom drawer on his desk. He shifted the files over and pulled out the false bottom to reveal a bottle of fine twenty year old Irish whiskey and two heavy crystal tumblers etched with the SGC logo. The whiskey and glasses were a gift from General Hammond when Jack accepted his current position. He poured himself a glass. After taking a long sip leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He sat there for a long time, taking the occasional sip, and willing the ache inside him to go away.

"Jack."

"No," he replied to Daniel not bothering to open his eyes. "You cannot have a coffee slave."

"Okay. I'm not here about that."

Jack opened his eyes and studied the other man's troubled expression. "What?"

Daniel sat down in one of the chairs in front of the desk. "I went to go see Sam this afternoon. I wanted to see if she was okay. She normally doesn't snap at me like that."

"Yeah, what was that about anyway?"

"Apparently, she heard someone say that the only reason she got promoted to Lieutenant Colonel was because you did it."

"That's a bunch of crap." Jack set his glass down heavily in irritation. "Everyone on base knows how hard she works. She deserved that promotion. If anything, I probably held her back by wanting to keep SG-1 together. Who said that?"

"I don't know. But that's not why I'm here. Anyway, when I went to see her. She looked like she had been crying."

"Carter was crying?" Jack asked in shock.

"She's not made of stone, Jack."

"I know," he responded quietly and poured himself another glass. "So what was she upset about?"

"Her father not being at her wedding."

"Oh. Hammond's still giving her away, right?"

"Yeah. Jack, we've been looking for the Tok'ra for months. It's like they've disappeared. This afternoon, I went through all the latest mission reports again trying to find any indication of where the Tok'ra could conceivably be, but I can't find anything."

"Snotty little snaky bastards. Always got to do stuff the hard way. You know, Jacob's going to be royally pissed when he finds out he missed Carter's wedding."

"I wish there was some way to find him. For both their sakes."

Jack sat thinking for a moment. "Hey, you know Thor's coming. He might be willing to do a little investigating on his way."

"You think he might come up with something?"

"It's worth a shot."

"Well, it's good to have friends in high places."


	3. Color Coordination

  
**  
Part 3   
**

 

Jack, Daniel, and Teal'c stepped out of the Stargate and surveyed the barren landscape.

"What is it with these guys and sand?" Jack asked no one in particular.

"Are we certain the Tok'ra are indeed on this planet?"

"Oh, I think we can be fairly certain, Teal'c," Daniel replied as they were in fact suddenly surrounded by armed Tok'ra.

Malek climbed the stairs to approach them. "Colonel O'Neill, Dr. Jackson, Teal'c."

"Actually, it's General O'Neill, now," Jack replied with a little grin.

"My apologies. What are you doing here?"

"We came for the waters."

"Waters?" Malek looked confused. "We're on a desert planet. There are no waters."

"We were misinformed."

Daniel rolled his eyes and stepped forward. "We have a message for Jacob and Selmak."

"Major Carter is not ill, is she?"

"No, but she needs him."

"She's a Colonel now by the way." Jack put in as they followed Malek to the rings.

***

"Hey, Dad."

Jacob spun around to see Jack, Daniel and Teal'c standing in his doorway. "What the hell are you doing here?" he demanded.

"We came for the wa-" Jack began before Daniel cut him off. "Give up the Bogart, Jack. Once was enough."

"Fine, " he replied slightly miffed, but he slung his pack from his back and pulled out a case of Butterfingers. "Thought you might be missing these," he said to Jacob.

Jacob practically ripped the box from his hands. "Selmak has actually considered leaving the Tok'ra for these."

"We'll always have a place for you at the SGC."

They watched as Jacob hurriedly ate one Butterfinger. Then as he thoughtfully savored his second one he asked them, "How'd you find us?"

"Thor located you at General O'Neill's request," Teal'c told him.

"General O'Neill? Have the Joint Chiefs lost their minds?"

"Apparently," Jack's lips twitched trying to hold back a smile. "I'm in charge of the SGC too."

"Is George dead?"

"I'm sure he wishes he was. He's at the Pentagon."

"I bet he does." Jacob finished the Butterfinger. "Why are you here? And where's Sam?"

"That's kind of why we're here-" Daniel began before he was cut off.

"Oh, God, what happened to her?"

"No. No. She's fine, Jacob," Daniel corrected him quickly. "See the thing is… well, she doesn't really know we're here… but she's been so upset because you wouldn't be there and we knew you'd be upset and-"

Teal'c irritated with Daniel's rambling explanation put it succinctly. "Colonel Carter is getting married."

Jacob blinked for half a second then clapped Jack hard on the back. "It's about goddamn time. What happened? You get a special dispensation?"

Jack winced. "Ah, no."

"You retiring?"

Jack shook his head wearily, before Daniel spoke up, "Sam's not marrying Jack."

Jacob looked shocked and then glared at Daniel. "You?"

"No. Pete."

"Who the  **HELL** is Pete?" Jacob exploded.

"Her fiancé."

Jacob turned to Jack anger thundering across his face. "I gathered that, Jack, you idiot. What did you do to her? "

"Jack didn't do anything, Jacob. Which is probably part of the problem, but that's beside the point." Daniel continued as Jack glared at him. "She was dating Pete before you left. She didn't tell you?"

"No." Jacob sighed heavily and sat down. "I don't suppose you brought any beer?"

"Nope. Something better." Jack dug into the pocket of his BDUs and pulled out a flask and tossed it to him. "Jack Daniel's."

Jacob took a big gulp.

"Uh, Jacob, does that really work with Selmak," Daniel asked curiously.

"I wish." He handed the flask back to Jack who took a long sip. "How're you handling this?"

"I'm her CO, Jake. It's none of my business."

"Bullshit, Jack. You love her."

"I'm still her CO."

"That can change."

"She's made her choice. She wanted a real life outside the SGC," he told the older man quietly. "She's happy. Be happy for her."

Jacob huffed. "So tell me about this man that makes her happy."

"He's a cop," Daniel began. "Her brother set her up with him."

"Mark's an idiot."

"He knows about the Stargate." Daniel continued.

"How?"

An irritated look flashed across Jack's face. "He followed her and got mixed up in the Osiris op. I asked General Hammond to let him to know the basics. She seemed to think he could handle knowing."

"And can he?"

Jack shrugged.

"Actually, we really don't know much about him," Daniel explained. "He seems to be a nice guy other than a mild stalker complex which I supposed could be attributed to a cop's curious nature. He did help clear Teal'c when he was accused of murder. So that's a plus."

"Colonel Carter has seen fit to have him in our company on very few occasions," Teal'c said.

"She probably thought the three of you would scare him off."

"If he is so easily frightened he is not worthy of her affections."

Jacob rubbed his forehead trying to ease the tension headache building. "Do any of you approve of him?"

"I don't think he's that bad," Daniel tried diplomatically "But not right for Sam."

"And his name is Pete?"

"Yeah, why?"

"It just reminds me of a joke Dean Martin used to tell."

"Yeah, how'd it go?" Jack asked.

"He would sing this song that had the line 'I dream in the john' and Sinatra would break in with some comment that I don't remember. Then Dino replies with 'What do you want me to say I dream in the pete?'"

The three men stare at Jacob.

"I guess it loses something in the retelling."

"Ya think?"

"It's just every time I hear the name Pete, I think 'I dream in the pete'."


	4. Door Number One

  
**  
Part 4   
**

 

"Sir, there better be a damn good reason that 'Gate's still there!" Sam stormed up the metal staircase and strode into the conference room.

"Is there a reason it shouldn't be?" Jack asked with a perplexed look as she came to stand in front of him ready to fight with her hands on her hips. He turned to Walter. "What'd you tell her?"

"You told me to get her here, sir, no matter how," he replied with a shrug. "Seemed like a good idea at the time, sir."

Jack rolled his eyes.

"What's going on, sir? I don't have time for silly games. I'm getting married day after tomorrow. I'm up to my ears in last minute details. The florist-"

"Carter, calm down. We've got a little surprise for you." Jack nodded to Daniel and Teal'c who were sitting at the conference table. All three men looked suspiciously self satisfied. "Walter, show the Colonel what's behind door number one."

Walter opened the door to Jack's office with a flourish and there stood her father.

"Dad!" Sam launched herself into his arms. "I'm so glad you're here."

"Sammie," he held her tightly. "What's this rumor I hear about you getting married?"

Sam pulled back and smiled up at him. "It's not a rumor, Dad. I'm getting married on Saturday."

"Excuse us," Jacob pulled his daughter into the office and shut the door. "Why didn't you tell me you were seeing someone before I left?"

"I didn't have a chance." Sam bit her lip nervously. She had not been looking forward to this part of their reunion.

"Sam…"

"Okay, okay! I was afraid you would try to run him off. I know how you are, Dad."

"Sam, I never-"

"You did- with Jonas!"

"He was a mean son of a bitch, Sam. You just didn't want to see it. And you know how he turned out."

"I know, Dad, but Pete's a good guy and he loves me."

"Do you love him?" Jacob fixed her with a hard stare.

"Would I be marrying him if I, didn't?"

"I don't know, Sam. Would you?"

Sam closed her eyes and tried her hardest to calm down and not attempt to strangle her father. "Dad, if you can't be happy for me than you can go back to where ever you came from."

"Sam, don't be like that. I just want you to be happy. You deserve to be happy."

"Pete makes me happy," she whispered.

"What about Jack?"

"What about the General?" she asked the fire returning to her eyes.

"Sam, you know-"

"Dad, don't, please," she pleaded. "I can't take that from you on top of Daniel, Teal'c, Cassie, and everyone else on base. They seem to think I'm the Whore of Babylon or something. Nothing ever happened between us, Dad. Nothing ever could. You know that. It's time for both of us to move on from this stupid fantasy. It would have never worked anyway."

"Keep telling yourself that, Sam."

"Dad!"

"I'm sorry, Sammie. I just want you to be sure."

"I am, Dad."

"Good. Then I'll be happy."

"So you'll give me away?" she asked, a small smile creeping to her lips again.

"Of course." He hugged Sam to him once again. "Do I have to call him Pete?"

"It's his name. Why?" she asked more than a little confused.

"It just reminds me of something."

"I'm glad you're back," Sam pulled away from him. "Did you come just for a visit or is this business?"

"Well, actually I was tracked down by an Asgard employed by three highly resourceful men."

"They got Thor to find you?" she asked in shock.

"Yeah. Those guys care a lot about you, Sam."

"I know." She opened the office door and beamed at the men standing there.

"So is our ruse forgiven?" Daniel asked returning her grin.

"Of course it is." Sam hugged Daniel tightly. "You guys are great." She let go of Daniel and moved to hug Teal'c. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You are most welcome, Colonel Carter. Though I believe it was General O'Neill's idea that we contact Thor."

Sam pulled away from Teal'c and looked at Jack. He stood with his hands stuffed in his pockets and a strange little smile twisting his lips. "Thank you, sir," She hugged him quickly before he even had a chance to take pull his hands out to return her hug.

"For cryin' out loud, Carter. What good is having the Supreme Commander of the Asguard fleet in your personal debt if you can't ask for a favor now and again?"

She smiled at the general again and then turned back to her father. "You ready to go, Dad? I can't wait for you to meet Pete."

"Actually, Sam, Jack and I need to have a long talk about the Tauri-Tok'ra alliance."

"Oh."

"Besides I'm sure you have a million things to do today. I wouldn't want to get in your way. I'll be through here in time for the rehearsal and the dinner tomorrow. I can meet him there, okay?"

"Okay, Dad," she looked more than slightly disappointed. "You're right I have a ton to do. I'll see you tomorrow."

***

Jack stared at the low table. "Do we really have to sit on the floor, Jacob?"

"Oh, come on, Jack. We have to be authentic. Do you know how long it's been since had Japanese food?"

Resigned, Jack sank onto the floor. Thankfully his knees protested only slightly. "You know, as much time as I spent in Ba'al's sarcophagus you'd think it would have healed my knees."

"They don't work on old injures."

"I know that. I'm just trying to make you feel guilty for putting an old man through this."

Jacob snorted. "You're only as old as you feel, Jack."

"And I feel _really_ old, trust me. I didn't know stars weighed so much."

"You're doing a great job with the SGC, Jack."

"You were only there an afternoon. How do you know?"

"All your people were happy."

"Must've been having an off day."

The waitress brought Jack's sake and Jacob's green tea and poured them each a cup before she left.

Jack pushed the sushi menu and pen across the table. "Here, Jake, you order. I don't care as long as it's not eel."

"Selmak isn't too fond of eel either." he replied studying the menu.

"Cannibalism, huh?"

Jacob's eyes flashed as Selmak took control.

Jack wasn't intimidated by the glowing and smiled a little sheepishly, "C'mon, Selmak. You know I don't mean anything by it. You are my all time favorite snake." Jack held it up his cup in salute. "Banzai."

Selmak laughed and then Jacob was back in control. "You know, Jack, I didn't like you when I first met you in Washington."

"I didn't like you either. In fact, I wanted to kick your ass that day. You really hurt Carter."

"I know. I've done that a lot. Unfortunately, it took Selmak to show me that."

The waitress returned and Jacob handed her the completed menu.

Jack poured himself another cup of sake. "Just out of morbid curiosity, why didn't you like me then?"

"I thought Sam was throwing away her chance at NASA, not to mention her career, to have some torrid affair with her substantially older CO."

"Substantially?" Jack protested.

Jacob just shrugged and smiled at him.

"You should have known better, Jake," he told the older man seriously. "Carter would never do anything like that."

"I should have. And, God help me, I'm glad I got to know you better too, Jack."

"Oh, c'mon. Don't get all mushy on me."

"I'm serious, Jack. You've been more of a son to me than Mark ever has. I'm proud to have known you."

"Thanks, Dad." Jack was more than a little uncomfortable at the compliment . "That really means a lot coming from you." Then he leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially. "Are you dying again?"

"No." Jacob laughed.

"Am I dying?"

"Well, I'm frankly surprised that you aren't dead yet myself, but, no, I haven't heard that you're dying."

"Well, that's good," Jack leaned back against the wall relaxing a little. "Because these kind of confessions are usually accompanied by a death bed."

"I guess what I'm trying to say is that I would have been proud to call you my son-in-law."

"Oh, here we go again," Jack poured and drank another cup quickly. "Can we please not talk about this?"

"I gave you my blessing after the Za'tarc incident."

"Yeah and do you know how many shades of pissed Carter would be if she knew you made a special trip to Earth just to come and tell me I had your permission to pursue a relationship with her?"

"You never told her?"

"Are you nuts? Do you know how scary Carter is when she's mad?" He sighed heavily before continuing. "Besides we never talk about those kinds of things. They're all locked up nice and tight in Isolation Room 5."

Jacob looked rather surprised.

Jack shrugged. "It's what she wanted. She's the only one that has a key to that room. I don't. Y'know, I've never gave a damn about any silly regulations or my career, for that matter, but I would never do anything to hurt her. If I would have pushed it, I'm sure something would have happened without being under alien influence. But when it got out, and it would have, her career would have been ruined. You know that, Jake. You've seen it happen. She's worked too hard to have that taken away from her just because some broken down old flyboy was in love with her. Besides," he smiled ruefully. "I'm a possessive old bastard. I'd want everyone to know she was mine. I'd want my ring on her finger. Sneaking around, _even_ with your blessing, wouldn't have been enough for me."

"You could have retired."

"I've thought of it. At least once a week. Believe me. But ultimately it came down to the fact that I didn't want her walking through that 'gate without me to protect her."

"You don't now," Jacob observed.

"I protect her from Earthside dangers now. They've become almost as dangerous as anything could be out there." Jack paused for a moment before continuing with a sad smile. "If I retired, I would miss that beautiful sense of wonder and adventure she has with each new discovery in the universe at large. Pete can never have that. And, frankly, I'd rather be able watch her amid the science and exploration she loves than have her just warming my bed at night. Pete has no idea of what she's really about and I feel sorry for him."

"Jack, you're a romantic masochistic old fool, you know that?"

"Yep. Can we change the subject now?"

Their sushi arrived and they ate in silence for a few minutes.

"How's Cassie?" Jacob asked after a while.

"She's doing great in school." Jack broke out in a proud smile. "Hasn't quite decided what she wants to do yet though. Kinda thinking about being a doctor like Janet. Daniel's pushing archeology or linguistics. But she's not sure of anything other than wanting to be a part of the SGC."

"I'm sure she'll have a place there no matter what."

"Yeah. She lives with me now on her breaks."

"Really? I thought she was staying with Sam."

"She was, but when things with Pete got serious Cassie asked to come stay with me. Carter was kinda hurt, but she eventually got over it. Cassie said she wanted to give them their space and I guess Carter began to enjoy her space with Pete."

"So she doesn't care for Pete either?" Jacob queried shrewdly.

"Ah, no." Jack grabbed a piece of sushi out from Jacob's hovering chopsticks . "Mind if I take the masago? It's my favorite. Like sushi Pop Rocks."


	5. Height Comparisons

**  
Part 5    
**

 

Jacob followed Cassie into the Air Force Academy Chapel. He saw the man who must be his future son-in-law standing near the altar chatting amicably with the chaplain and Sam who was sitting on the front pew. Jacob took a moment to study Pete. _I dream in the Pete._ He still couldn't get that out of his head.

 _Not exactly General O'Neill is he?_ Selmak asked.

 _Unfortunately, Selmak, we're going to have to deal with the fact that Sam's not marrying Jack._

But Jacob couldn't deny the fact that the moment he saw Pete he automatically compared him to Jack. While Pete was broad shouldered and seemed reasonably fit (though a little on the soft side in Jacob's opinion), he was no match for Jack's wiry battle hardened frame. Pete had kind of a goofy look to him and there was no denying that the general had a definite goofy side, but it was also tempered by a dark strength that never completely left him. Jacob doubted that even though he was a cop Pete couldn't be intimidating or ever be able to cope with the darkness that had permeated Jack's life. Pete was a teddy bear compared to Jack's wolf. Pete was safe and at that moment Jacob realized what his daughter saw in the man. And what she was running a way from. Life with Jack O'Neill might be fun and frightening, wild and weird, lazy and lusty, but it would never be completely safe or easy or remotely normal.

Cassie prodded Jacob down the aisle to towards Sam and Pete. When Sam saw her father she smiled and got up to stand beside her fiancé. In her heels, which weren't exceptionally high, she was at least two inches taller than him.

"She's too tall for him," Jacob whispered to Cassie.

She laughed, "That's what I said."

Sam and Pete met them half way down the aisle. "Dad, this is my fiancé Pete Shanahan. Pete, this is my father General Jacob Carter."

"It's good to finally meet you, Pete." Jacob held his hand out.

 _Yeah. Right_.

 _Shut up, Selmak. I'm trying to be nice_.

Pete grinned inanely. "I'm so glad you could make it, Dad. I can call you 'Dad', can't I?"

"No."

Sam glared at her father but he ignored it.

Pete just shrugged and then leaned in closer to Jacob still grinning and whispered, "Can I talk to the alien?"

"Sure." Jacob nodded his head down and then lifted it up eyes glowing. "You're too short for her," Selmak told him.

Cassie had to turn away to hide her smirk.

"Selmak!" Sam said angrily but her father soon took control again.

"Sorry about that, Pete. Selmak's got an odd sense of humor."

"No big deal. I think Sam likes to tower over me, don't you, babe?"

Sam just smiled. She in fact had serious unresolved issues with their respective heights and his tendency to call her 'babe', but she refused to let her father think she was anything less than completely and perfectly happy. "Mark and Cindy should be here anytime. Mark's going to be Pete's best man."

"Did the kids come, too?" Jacob asked "I can't wait to see how much they've grown."

Sam nodded and then asked, "How did you meetings go?"

"Pretty good. I think things are looking up between the Tok'ra and the Tauri. Garshaw and Anise are coming tomorrow to represent the Tok'ra at the wedding."

Sam winced slightly at the mention of Anise but replied, "That's great we'd be honored to have them here. Did you manage to get out of the mountain before now?"

"Oh, yeah. Jack and I went to Sayuri's last night for dinner and I stayed at his place."

"You stayed with General O'Neill? "

"Yeah, Jack and Cassie got me caught up on TV and then we ended playing Scrabble until- what, Cassie? Two?"

"Three." she replied grinning at the memory. "Jack kept accusing us of cheating for using alien words, but he was using Latin. I don't see what the difference is."

"Latin? General O'Neill?"

"He learned on Groundhog Day."

"Oh, yeah. I'm surprised he still remembers it." Sam laughed at the memory of the General and Teal'c being forced to lean Latin to help Daniel with the translation. But as she laughed, she felt an odd pang of regret. It sounded like great fun playing board games with the general, Cassie, and her father until the wee hours of the morning. She missed just hanging out and having fun with her friends and family. But she had Pete now she reminded herself and he gave her more than they could offer. Still it would have been fun.


	6. The Rehearsal Dinner Cocktails

**Part 6 **

Sam unconsciously sought out the members of her team in the crowd. It was a habit born from so many years working together in situations that more than likely would turn out to be dangerous. It was comforting to have them near. As always the first one she found was General O'Neill. He was leaning against the railing of the porch talking to Lt. Colonel Paul Davis. Try as she might she could never stop the shiver that ran up her spine when she saw him. Especially when he was looking so… good. He had on finely tailored 3-button black suit and a black dress shirt left open at the collar. The black clothing against the tan of his skin and the silver of his ruffled hair made for a striking if slightly menacing look. Sam smiled as he remembered a drunken conversation she and Daniel had over several bottles of wine a couple of years ago.

" _I'm telling you, Sam. Jack isn't who we think he is."_

" _Are you trying to say he's a Goa'uld?" she asked drunken disbelief._

" _No. I'm just saying he's not stupid."_

" _Of, course he's not, Daniel," she snorted. "You don't make Colonel by being stupid."_

" _That whole 'I'm just a simple man' crap is- uh- um-" Daniel waved his wine glass around looking or the right word. "Crap."_

" _What makes you say that?"_

" _Because he has the complete works of Tolstoy in Russian."_

" _The colonel knows Russian?" she was shocked. He seemed to have trouble pronouncing simple English words, but she knew that was a front, but Russian that was…weird._

" _Think about it, Sam. The Cold War hasn't been over that long. Jack was special ops. He was probably in and out of Germany, Russia, South and Central America, Viet Nam, even maybe, and who knows where else. He would have to be able to communicate."_

" _You're right. What other languages are his books?"_

" _English, obviously, Arabic, German, French, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Spanish."_

" _Wow."_

" _You never looked at his bookshelves?" Daniel asked curiously._

" _Not really."_

" _He's even got some books on physics and astrophysics. I suspect those are more recently acquired. They're between his Calvin and Hobbes collection and the Wizard of Oz. I place of honor I think."_

_Sam couldn't help but blush, "I always thought he understood a lot more than he lets on."_

" _He likes to listen to you talk, Sam," Daniel told her with a knowing smile and her blush depended. "Hey! Guess what he has in his closet!"_

" _Daniel, so help me if you tell me women's clothes I'm going to kill you and him."_

" _No, of course not," he looked confused at the suggestion. "Jack's the straightest man I've ever met. Why would you even think that, Sam? You don't have some weird_

_fantasy-"_

" _Shut up, Daniel!."_

_Daniel shut up and poured more wine for them both._

" _Sooo," Sam prompted. "What is in his closet?"_

" _Armani suits."_

" _What?" she almost spilled her wine. A dress might have been more believable._

" _Yep. And a couple of Hugo Boss ones, an Armani tux and even a Ralph Lauren white dinner jacket."_

" _The colonel? No way!"_

" _Way. He also has an excess of fleece pullovers, khaki cargos, plaid flannel shirts, and some outrageously horrible Hawaiian shirts. That's the stuff we get to see."_

" _I'd pay good money to see him in an Armani suit," Sam smiled wistfully._

" _Maybe he'll ask you to the opera one day." She blushed at that statement. "Face it, Sam. We only see about half of who Jack O'Neill is. Secretly he's a man of discriminating tastes. I figure before he was a man of the galaxy he was a man of the world. He's lived a life where every moment might be his last and he's learned to enjoy the finer things. He just doesn't admit to it."_

_Sam pondered this information for a few minutes and then began to wonder why Daniel knew all this. "What did you do, Daniel? Case his house? He didn't give you a grand tour showing you his most intimate secrets."_

" _I conducted an archeological survey," he replied innocently._

" _An archeological survey? So basically you snooped around."_

" _No, it was for scientific purposes."_

" _Which translates into the colonel had a scientist snooping around his house looking for gossip material."_

" _Hey, that's not fair!" Daniel protested._

" _So what else did you find?" Sam couldn't restrain her curiosity._

" _He has some really nice pieces of Arts and Crafts Movement ceramics."_

" _Huh. So have you done an archeologically survey of my house?"_

" _Yeah."_

" _And?"_

" _It looks like a Pottery Barn catalog."_

_Sam looked around her perfect unlived in living room. "I know it's sad, isn't it?"_

Sam suddenly realized that she was staring at the general and he had caught her. He raised his glass to her in salute and she smiled self consciously at him before turning away to look for Pete. She found her fiancé talking to her brother. She looked at Pete in his navy blazer and khakis. His tie was unloosened and looked uncomfortable and slightly rumpled. She glanced back at the general. He looked effortlessly elegant in his suit and appeared to be just as comfortable in it as his BDUs. She wondered if it was Armani.

Jack felt her eyes on him. He always could. Just as he always instinctively knew where she was in a room. He looked up and caught her staring at him. He raised his glass acknowledging that he knew what she had been doing. She smiled and flushed in embarrassment and the turned away to join Pete who was talking to her brother. Jack continued to nod along with whatever Paul Davis was saying to him and studied Carter. She looked different than he'd ever really seen her before. She looked coolly elegant and very put together almost to the point of artifice. Her hair was styled in carefully in soft waves. It reminded him of Grace Kelly in a way. She had on a straight navy silk shift dress that came to just below her knees and strappy silver shoes with a skinny but modest heel. Wrapped around her shoulders sari like was the shawl the he, Daniel, and Teal'c had given her for her birthday a couple of years ago. Jack had been wandering around the marketplace on P3X- 283, when he had seen the sky blue silky cashmere like material embroidered that was with a silver star pattern along the edges. He knew she had to have it. Apparently the fabric was extremely rare and expensive and they had ended up giving the dealer their watches, Jack's sunglasses and Famous Amos oatmeal cookies, Daniel's 3 Snicker bars and his 4 pens, and Teal'c's half a box of Starcrunches and deck of Uno cards. They had managed to make the transaction without Carter knowing about it, but she made merciless fun of them when she discovered they had accidentally misplaced or lost their most treasured off world items. She had been terribly apologetic when the truth was discovered, but she had loved the shawl and that was all that mattered to them. Jack surveyed her for another minute before deciding she was undeniably beautiful in her chic outfit, he preferred her hair a little unruly rather than perfectly in place and her in BDUs or better yet her motorcycle leathers. He didn't really care for the tame complacent Carter standing quietly next to Pete.

Jack was standing by himself nursing the fine Scotch Hammond had poured for him when Cassie came up to him.

"Have you spoken to her yet?" she asked.

"Who?"

Cassie rolled her eyes. "Sam."

"No. I'm here, isn't that good enough?"

"C'mon," Cassie pulled him towards where Cater and Pete were talking to Jacob.

"Okay! Geez, Cass, you're gonna pull my arm out of socket."

Cassie let go of his hand and they walked over to them.

Jacob seemed to perk up as they approached. "Jack. Cassie."

"Hey, Dad," Jack said as he sauntered up. "Ready for me to kick yours and Selmak's ass again at Scrabble?"

"Selmak thinks you cheated," Jacob returned with a smile.

Cassie, who had been watching Pete's expression very carefully, broke into a grin as Pete scowled when Jack called Jacob 'Dad'.

"Cater. Shanahan." Jack nodded in greeting. "Nice night you've got for the party."

Sam looked up at the cloudless night sky, "Yes, sir. It is."

"General O'Neill, it was good of you to come," Pete told him as he shook his hand. "I know it must be had to get away."

"Well, anything to make Carter happy."

Sam looked a little uncomfortable and handed her empty glass to Pete, "Would you mind getting me another, Pete?"

"Sure, babe. Dirty martini extra olives, right?"

She nodded and then turned to Cassie. "Dad says you made him go shopping with him today."

"Well, I thought his Tok'ra outfit might be a little much for a rehearsal dinner." She grinned at Jacob. "We had fun."

Jacob rolled his eyes, "She had fun. It's the first time I've been to a mall in years. I'd forgotten how much I hate them. Selmak got a big kick out of it though."

"Ah! That reminds me." Jack held out is hand to Cassie, "Gimme."

"I forgot." Cassie smiled sweetly, "Sorry, Jack."

"Yeah right. C'mon, hand it over."

Cassie opened her purse and pulled out Jack's credit card and laid it in his upturned palm. Jack pulled out his wallet and put the card back into a more secure location. "I'm going to assume you spent a fortune."

"Only a small one, Jack," she said with a winning smile. "I got this for tonight." Her full skirt twirled out as she spun around for his approval.

"Breathtaking," Jack smiled warmly at her.

"And I got a dress for the opera next week."

"Excellent."

Cassie leaned up to kiss his cheek. "Thank you, Jack."

"Oh, I gotta keep my best girl looking pretty, don't I?" Jack hugged her and kissed the top of her head.

Sam felt an irrational surge of jealously. Whether toward the General or Cassie she really couldn't say.

Jack drained the rest of his drink and handed it to Cassie, "Get me another one, will ya?"

"I think I'll get another one too." Jacob said as he followed Cassie. He recognized the glint in his daughter's eye as well as Jack.

Jack watched them walk away and then turned to Sam, "Go ahead and say it, Carter. Before you blow a gasket."

"With all due respect, sir, you shouldn't spoil her like that."

"Why not? Who else am I going to spoil, Carter?"

There was nothing overt in his question or tone but there was a slight challenging smile tugging at his lips that made Sam blush. She couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to have Jack O'Neill spoil her.

"Besides," he continued. "Cassie's a good kid. She does outstanding in school. Why shouldn't I indulge her? She works hard and she deserves it. She's had a lot of hard times in her life, more than any kid should have. If a couple of dresses and a closet full of shoes brightens her life a little bit, then what's wrong with that?"

"Nothing, sir. It's just…" Sam couldn't even say why it irritated her so much.

"Just what? That you're mad that she wants to live with me and not you and Pete?"

"No!" she replied hotly.

"Okay, then. Janet in her infinite although confusing wisdom made us both Cassie's guardians, but I'm not going to play good parent/bad parent with you. Cassie's old enough to decide who she wants to stay with when she's not in school. And just because she doesn't want to stay with you doesn't mean she loves you any less, Carter."

"Yes, sir."

Cassie returned with Pete in tow. Jacob seemed to have decided not to come back. She handed Jack his drink and took a sip from her own.

"What's that?" Sam asked.

Cassie examined the contents of the glass as if seeing it for the first time and then replies matter of factly, "A champagne cocktail."

"Cassie!"

"Oh, c'mon, Sam. Let her celebrate." Pete said pushing the drink he brought Sam into her hand. "It's only a champagne cocktail. It's not like she's doing shots of tequila or anything."

The general and Cassie didn't said anything. They both looked mildly amused at Pete the cop defending Cassie's underage alcoholic consumption. Sam took the olives out of her drink and automatically handed them to Jack. Sam sighed in defeat and shook her head, "I guess you let her drink at your house, too, sir."

He shrugged as he ate an olive. "She has a beer now and again." Sam glared at him. "Light beer," he added as if that would make it all right in her eyes.

"Ugh. I hate Jack's Guinness."

Jack elbowed Cassie gently, "That's blaspheme and you know it."

"Janet would have a fit, sir."

"Nah, not a good Scot like ol' Doc Frasier. She understood alcohol and it's virtues." Jack suddenly noticed Pete staring at him as he ate Sam's olives. He held the final one impaled on the little plastic sword out to Pete. "Want the last one?"

"Uh, no thanks, General."

Jack shrugged and popped it into his mouth.

TBC


	7. Dinner and Coffee

**  
Part 7    
**

 

"Are we fashionably late yet?" Daniel asked as he pushed open the gate leading to General Hammond's back yard.

"It's about damn time," Jack replied.

Daniel exchanged a glance with Teal'c and Jonas. Jack O'Neill was not a happy camper tonight. Not that was really unexpected. "We had a couple of issues in the costuming department, but we got everything sorted out."

Jack nodded but didn't ask for further explanations. Because of all the off world guests in attendance, Sam's wedding had turned into a logistical nightmare for the SGC. Appropriate Tauri clothing had to be procured. Not to mention hats and make up to conceal the Jaffa's emblems. Thus, Jack had put Daniel, assisted by Teal'c and Jonas, in charge of what he called the costume department. Jonas had dived in enthusiastically and generally made appropriate choices for the guests. Teal'c on the other hand had a rather…outlandish sense of style. So Daniel was forced to attempt to tone down some of his outfits. Bra'tac had looked like a pimp. Then Daniel stepped in. Now he looked more like someone out of a Damon Runyon story. After his fitting, he refused to give up his fedora and when they finally left the mountain he still had it on with his regular Jaffa robes. Kinda like Obi Wan Kenobi meets Indiana Jones.

"C'mon," Jack said leading them to the tent set up in the middle of the yard. "They're just about to serve dinner. You missed the cocktails."

Jonas and Teal'c seemed to perk up a little at the mention of food , but Daniel made a face. He really could have used a cocktail after the day he'd had and the night he was about to endure.

George Hammond surveyed the table where Cassie and the men of SG-1, past and present, sat. He was sure some thought it odd that the made of honor wasn't sitting with the wedding party but her mood seemed more in line with these men. He didn't fail to notice that that the whole group was dressed in black. He wondered vaguely if the entire thing was planned to express their disapproval of the nuptials. Then he decided that it was far more likely that their own individual moods that influenced their color choices. Their moods just happened to be in sync. "You people look like you're at a wake," he told the subdued group.

"Are we not, General Hammond?" Teal'c responded raising an eyebrow and his table mates looked shocked for the most part .

"Uh," Daniel began. "I think what Teal'c means-"

"I know what he means, son." Hammond motioned to the empty chair, "Mind if I join in the mourning?"

"Have a seat, George," Jack told him.

Dinner at table SG-1 was a solemn affair. Hammond was surprised to see Jack barely touched his wine. He'd noticed Jack toss back a couple of drinks earlier. In fact he had brought out his best Scotch for the younger general as he had expected Jack would want to be at least partially drunk to survive the night. But Hammond realized that he would have been living up to a cliché and Jack despised clichés. He knew Jack wasn't above making an ass of himself on occasion, but he was an ultimately prideful man, especially when it came to his inner pain. That was sacrosanct. Dr. Jackson on the other hand seemed to be drinking his and Jack's share. At least he seemed to be able to hold his wine better than his beer.

After dinner people mingled over coffee and Cassie had just returned her empty cup when she was stopped by a voice behind her. "Cassie, can I talk to you for a sec?"

Cassie turned around to see Pete. She looked around for potential rescuers but no one was close enough. Damn. "Uh, sure, Pete. What about?"

"Me and Sam want you to come stay with us during your Christmas break. It would mean a lot." Cassie studied his face for a minute thinking Sam had put him up to it, but his face was so completely earnest and hopeful. "Sam really misses you and I'd like to get to know you better."

Cassie sighed. She couldn't believe that Pete of 'I dream in the Pete' fame was making her feel bad for turning him down. Had she stepped through the quantum mirror? "I'd really like to. Honestly. But Jack's already worked out a deal to take the time off and we're going skiing with Daniel, Teal'c, and Rya'c and his wife."

"Oh," he looked so totally crestfallen. "I understand. It's not like it's easy for the general to get time off, huh?"

"No." She looked around again hoping to find some one to save her. Oh, there was Jonas! She tried to gesture surreptitiously to him. He smiled at her, but didn't make a move to help.

"Hey!" Pete said drawing her attention back to him. "What about Thanksgiving? You've got a couple of days off, right? We'll make a big deal about it. Maybe Sam's dad can plan to be here and we'll invite the general, Dr. Jackson and Teal'c. What do you think about that?"

"That would be really nice of you, Pete. I'm sure everyone would love to come to have Thanksgiving dinner with you and Sam." How she managed to say that without sarcasm and keeping a straight face, she'll never know. "Y'know, barring an intergalactic incident."

"Oh, of course. I don't suppose it's possible to schedule those?" he teased.

"I'll ask Jack."

"So it's settled then?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"Great. Sam will be ecstatic."

She watched as Pete practically skipped away. "Damn. Damn. Damn." She stamped her foot on the lawn in frustration. And as her luck would have it, she got her heel caught in the roots and nearly fell down. Jonas was at her side instantly. "Are you okay?"

"No! Where the hell were you when I needed you? What kind of hero are you?"

"Not much of one, I guess," he grinned. "I thought you were telling me to stay away."

Cassie couldn't seem to get her shoe unstuck so she just stepped out of it and hobbled over to the nearby arbor swing and flopped down. Jonas bent down and untangled her shoe. Cassie held out her foot and he gently put it back on for her.

"Thanks, but don't think that makes up for not rescuing me."

"Wouldn't dream of it," he told her still smiling as he sat down next to her. "So what was that about with Pete?"

"Arrrggg," Cassie growled in frustration as she pushed off the ground angrily and the swing began to move. "Why does Pete have to be so freakin' nice to me? I want to despise him so badly, but he's just being so nice and sincere. It really pisses me off. He's supposed to be evil incarnate"

"I know," Jonas said continuing to keep the steadily swing moving with his feet. "I was prepared for him to be a complete 'rat bastard' as the general would say. But he was just so welcoming when we met. Maybe slightly suspicious too, but, hey, I am an alien here and he is an officer of the law." Jonas paused in thought for a second. "I don't think their marriage will last ."

"Why?"

"Well, for one thing she doesn't love him and she knows it. He doesn't know it though. He's blindly in love."

"How can you tell she doesn't love him?"

"Haven't you noticed how General O'Neill still affects her? Those aren't the responses of a woman who's in love with another man."

"Then why are we here?" she grumbled.

"Oh, c'mon, Cassie," Jonas nudged her slightly. "Sam hates to admit she's wrong."

"So she's just going to ruin her life and Jack's because she's hardheaded?"

"And Pete's. She's going to break his heart. Sooner or later."

"Sooner preferably." Cassie sighed and leaned her head back. She was a little startled to find Jonas's arm stretched across the back of the swing. He didn't attempt to move it and Cassie didn't lift her head back up. If anything she might have leaned closer to him. "Hey, Jonas?"

"Yeah?"

"You ever been skiing?"

"In the snow?"

"Yeah."

"No. Why?"

"Just wondering."

Sam stood a little apart from the remaining guests. She need a few minutes to herself. This night had been unexpectedly stressful. The night air had a slight chill to it and she pulled her shawl more tightly around her.

"Carter."

She turned to face the general, "Sir, I thought you'd already left."

"I'm about to." He stood with his hands in his pockets looking more than slightly uncomfortable. "Say, do you have that something old, something blue thing covered?"

She smiled slightly, "Pretty much. I'm wearing my great-grandmother's pearl necklace. That's the old. Cassie's lending me Janet's pearl earrings. That's borrowed. The lining of my dress is blue and I guess the dress itself is the new part. Why are you asking, sir?"

He pulled a flat box wrapped in silver paper out of his jacket and handed it to her. "I got you something for the new part."

"Sir, you shouldn't have."

He just shrugged. Sam ripped open the paper to reveal a black leather jewelry case with the Earth point of origin symbol embossed in silver on the front. With trembling hands she lifted the lid. "My God, sir!" she said breathlessly as she saw the contents. It was a necklace with delicate but heavy links and a pendant about the size of a half dollar. The pendant was an exact replica of the Earth patch they wore on their uniforms made of intricately cast metal and opal. She examined the iridescent metal closely. "It's naquada, sir."

"Just promise me you won't melt it down to make some wacky doohickeys with it."

"Never, sir. How did you-"

"I got connections, " he interrupted smiling mysteriously.

"It's beautiful."

He took his hands out of his pockets and lifted it from the box. "It can be a necklace or a bracelet." He demonstrated how the chain could be doubled up to go around her wrist. " I figured you'd already have a necklace to wear tomorrow."

"That's very thoughtful, sir." She turned away from him. "Will you put in on for me?"

The general stretched the necklace around Sam's neck and closed the clasp. He couldn't stop himself from gently caressing the nape of her neck. Sam shivered, but told herself it was from the chill in the air. She turned back around, "Thank you, sir. I can't tell you how much this means to me."

"I thought you should have something to remember where you belong," he said quietly. "Out there among the stars."

Sam hesitated slightly and the moved to hug him. He held her in his arms tightly almost painfully. "I'll never forget, sir."

He let go of her and stepped back. He smiled ruefully, "We'll always have the stars, Carter." Then he turned away from her walking into the night.

Daniel walked up behind Pete and smiled at the scene before them. Pete turned to him, "Dr. Jackson have they ever-" he stopped not wanting to say the words, because he really didn't want to know the answer.

"Been in a relationship?" Daniel asked and Pete nodded. "Not in this reality."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that in two of the two alternate realities we've encountered they were." He paused taking a sip of his coffee. "In one they were engaged and in the other they were married. Sam wasn't in the Air Force in those realities so it wasn't against regulations for them to be in love."

"Are you saying that if Sam wasn't-" he couldn't finish the thought. It terrified him to even think about thinking about it.

"I guess that depends on if you believe in fate. But I'll tell you, Pete, you're either the bravest or stupidest man in the known universe to stand in the way of those two."

"Sam chose me, Dr. Jackson," he said somewhat angrily.

"Yes, she did, Pete. And I wish you luck. You're going to need it." With that Daniel walked away in search of something with more alcoholic content and leaving Pete to contemplate fate.

Sam stepped away from the conversation she wasn't really participating in between her brother and Pete when Jonas and Cassie walked up.

"Teal'c asked us to make his and Daniel's goodbyes," Jonas told her. "Daniel was more than a little drunk so Teal'c took him home."

Sam smiled at the thought. Teal'c probably had his hands full. "How're you going to get back to base, Jonas?"

"I'll take him by on my way home," Cassie told her.

Sam gave her a curious look but Cassie just smirked.

"That's naquada!" Jonas exclaimed. "Sam, your necklace is naquada!"

"Wow, Sam! That's beautiful!" Cassie gasped. "I didn't notice that earlier. Where'd it come from?"

"General O'Neill just gave it to me. For my 'new'."

"May I?" Jonas asked before he lifted the pendant up to examine it more closely. He felt ridges on the underside and turned it over.

"What?" Sam asked. She couldn't see it since it was still around her neck.

"It's got Ancient characters on it."

"Can you translate it?"

"Yeah, I think it's a poem."

"What does in say?"

"It may lose something in the translation. It rhymes in Ancient," he warned.

"Jonas, what does it say?" Sam asked frustrated.

"Basically 'Following roads through the stars, I found my heart, All my love, Jack." Jonas carefully let go of the pendant.

"Oh." Sam turned suddenly pale.

"Is that all you can say, Sam?" Cassie demanded angrily. "Why are you doing this?"

"I love Pete." Sam turned on her heel and stalked away. "Goodnight, Cassie, Jonas."

TBC


	8. On the Roof

**  
Part 8   
**

 

From where he sat on his roof, Jack could hear Cassie pull into the drive and go inside the house. A while later he heard her on the ladder. He looked up to see her pull herself over the edge. She had changed out of her party dress and put on her pajamas. She silently sat down beside him and he took the Guinness she offered. He popped the cap and took a long swig. "So," he said breaking the silence. "Am I gonna have to kick Jonas's ass?"

"Why?" she questioned innocently taking a sip of her own Bud Light.

"Cass, I saw you two snuggling on the swing."

"We were _not_ snuggling."

Jack cocked an eyebrow in disbelief but decided on a different tactic. "Do you know how much older he is than you?"

"No. Do you?"

That gave him pause. "No, actually, I don't. BUT that's not the point. However old he is, he's too old for you."

Cassie rolled her eyes. "Okay. Whatever you say, Jack."

"I'm serious, Cassie. He's not known as the alien Don Juan of the SGC for nothing. He went through every nurse in the infirmary when he was on SG-1."

"Oh, C'mon, Jack. Chill with the over protective thing. We were just talking."

"About what?"

"Stuff. We actually have a lot in common."

Jack snorted. "Like what?"

"Not being from Earth and Nirrti screwing with our DNA."

Jack grunted but didn't say anything more. They sat in silence for a while just sipping their beer and watching the night sky. Then Cassie's eyes lit on a red and white box sitting on the railing. She picked it up. "What's this?"

Jack's as flicked to it nonchalantly as he took a sip of his beer. "A pack of Marlborough Reds."

" _Jack_." She gave him a disapproving look that she no doubt learned from her mother.

"What?" But his trademarked dumb/innocent look didn't work and she continued to glare. Then he made an unexpectedly sudden move and the box was magically in his hand.

"Hey!" she protested. "That's not fair!"

"You were concentrating too hard on glaring," he mumbled around the cigarette he was lighting. He took a drag and then sighed in nicotine bliss.

"Can I have one?"

"No," Jack barked out a laugh. "Doc _would_ haunt my ass, then."

"Yes, she would," Cassie smiled briefly at the thought. "So, why'd you start?

"Dunno. Just felt like I needed one."

"Just one?" she asked eying the half empty box.

"One pack," he shrugged. "I used to smoke, y'know?"

She shook her head that she didn't.

"I started when I was sixteen. I quit the day I got back from Abydos. The first time. That was real red letter day." He smiled bitterly at the memory. "I went home ready to start over and make things work. But I didn't have a home. I had divorce papers waiting on me. Kind of ironic in a way. She'd been after me from our first date to quit smoking and then I do, but she doesn't want me anymore. Not that I could blame her. I wouldn't want me if I was her either."

"Don't say that, Jack," Cassie reached over and squeezed his hand.

"I wasn't a very good husband, Cassie. No man in special ops, much less black ops, can be. No matter how much he wants to. You'd think that would be the second worst day of my life, wouldn't you? The day my wife left me. But it wasn't. I didn't even really care."

"You didn't care?" she asked in disbelief.

"I won't deny that I loved Sara. I did, but it was a young misguided love. We should have never gotten married, but I thought I could do it all. Save the world and be the husband she deserved. I was so damned cocky back then. We didn't really know each other. There was so much I couldn't tell her, didn't want her to know. She was a little afraid of me anyway. If she actually knew some of the stuff that I'd done… She thought after Charlie was born that I'd get out of it and I wanted to, but I couldn't. I got cocky again. Thought the world would fall apart with out me fighting for it. God, I loved Charlie so much and his death was my penance."

"Jack, you don't really believe that, do you?"

Jack's only response was to light another cigarette.

"I want to hate Pete, but I can't," Cassie told him quietly.

"It's not his fault."

"He tries so hard to be understanding."

"I hope he continues to, for Carter's sake. I always knew spouses of field officers had it tough, but always being one myself I never how bad until I got shoved behind that fucking desk. I don't know what has to be worse: knowing what's going on out there or not knowing."

She watched him for a moment then said, "I saw the necklace."

"Yeah?"

"It was beautiful."

"Yeah."

"Jonas translated the inscription for her."

Jack didn't respond.

"Don't you want to know what she said?"

"She's not here, is she? I think that says everything," he smashed out his cigarette, his face oddly expressionless.

"I think I hate her."

"Cass, don't hate her. She deserves to be happy."

"You deserve to be happy, Jack."

Jack reached over and pulled him into his arms. "I am, Cassie. I've got you here with me."

Cassie held onto him tightly and buried her face in his chest. She wanted to cry for his pain. "I love you, Jack. You're the best man I've ever known. I hope I find someone half as good as you to spend my life with."

"You should probably aim higher than that."

Cassie pulled away and suddenly smiled. "I think I should look Mini-Jack up. He's still in the Springs, right?"

"Oh, don't you dare. I expressly forbid you to have anything to do with Mini-me."

"Oh, c'mon, Jack. Don't you think he would be interested in me?"

"That's what I'd be afraid of," he said suddenly choking on the urge to laugh. "It would take incest to a whole new very, very disturbing level. I think I'd rather have Jonas as a son-in-law."

"Oh, I don't want to marry Jonas," she replied her eyes glittering mischievously. "I just want to have fun with him."

"You are not going to have fun with Jonas or any other man. In fact, after the wedding tomorrow I packing off to a convent. You are going to be a nun until I find someone suitable for you and it's highly unlikely I will, so it's Sister Cassandra from now on."

Cassie laughed, "Yeah, sure, you betcha." She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I'm gonna go to bed. Goodnight, 'Dad'."

"'Night, 'sweetheart'."


	9. On the Porch

**  
Part 9   
**

 

Sam stared up at the night sky. It was a clear night, but the light pollution in her neighborhood prevented her seeing many of the stars she knew would be there. She heard the door shut and knew Pete was coming out in search of her. He was entirely too clingy sometimes. Which was probably not an ideal thought to be having on the eve of their marriage.

"What are you doing out here, babe?"

"Looking at the stars."

He leaned over the back of her chair and wrapped his arms around her, "You'll soon leave me stranded here and be back out there. Can't we just enjoy the time we have together?" He kissed the side of her neck but she didn't respond to his advance. He sighed as he let go and sat down in the chair next to hers. He studied his fiance for a long while. She sat there in her pajamas with her knees pulled up against her chest and her arms wrapped around them. The shawl she had worn earlier that night was around her shoulders and one hand played idilly with the end. Her face turned up to the sky was expressionless. Sometimes as much as he tried he really didn't understand her. He glanced down at the table between them. There rested the necklace he'd seen General O'Neill give her. He picked it up and studied it. He vaguely recalled seeing the design before. He assumed it had something to do with the Stargate program. The necklace was exquisitely crafted. He fingered the pendant and turned it over to see the design there. It wasn't like anything he'd seen before. He thought it might be an inscription. "There's writing on the back."

"I know." She didn't look at him just continued to be lost in the darkness.

"What does it say?"

"It's in Ancient. I can't read Ancient."

"Oh, that's weird." He examined it more closely. The metal wasn't platinum, silver, white gold, or even titanium. "What's it made out of?"

"It's classified."

Pete dropped the necklace back on the table. Even her jewelry was classified. What next? He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

Sam flinched as she heard her necklace clatter on the glass of the table. She picked it up and wrapped it around her wrist as the general had shown her earlier. She pulled the shawl closer around her. Sam smiled slightly as she remembered what the guys had gone through to get it for her.

"Do you believe in fate?" Pete asked quietly though the sound of his voice made her jump a little.

"As a scientist- no," she replied still not looking at him.

"And as a woman?"

"I'm still a scientist. I can't separate the two. They're both who I am."

"I don't know Doctor Carter."

She glanced over at him and she realized that he didn't. She'd not shown him that part of her. "No, you don't."

"I'd like to meet her."

"I'm not sure you'd like her, Pete."

"Sam, I love you. I want to know all about you and love all of you."

"You're a good man, Pete. I probably don't deserve you," she told him with a little smile.

"Nah, I'm the one that doesn't deserve you," he grinned at her, happy that the distance he'd felt since coming onto the porch was dissipating.

"I'm glad you finally met Dad."

Pete's smile faded. "I don't think he really likes me." Sam's father had been a sore spot with him all night. The man had practically ignored him and his alien body-mate had insulted him.

"Don't be silly, Pete. He doesn't even know you yet."

"I don't think he wants to get to know me. Why else would he stay at General O'Neill's instead of with us?"

"I'm sure Dad and the General had a lot to talk about. The alliance-" Sam began before Pete cut her off.

"Sam, they were playing board games."

"That doesn't mean they still couldn't talk. Dad's been away for a long time."

"Exactly. He should have been with his daughter. In fact, I think General O'Neill is one of the reasons he doesn't like me."

"What do you mean?" she asked her tone was suddenly very icy.

"Let's face it, Sam. I didn't make the best first impression. You know the whole stalking you and almost screwing up your operation. I admit I fucked up. I don't blame any of them not liking me for that, but I thought after I helped you with Teal'c they might warm up to me."

"It takes a lot to earn the General's respect," she said quietly. "Trust me, I know. He thought I was an annoying geek until I took down a Mongol in a knife fight."

"So basically I need to become an intergalactic super hero before they accept me," he asked slightly exasperated.

"Pete, why does it matter what they think of you?"

"Because they're your friends and family. They mean a lot of you. I want them to like me."

"Just give them time."

"It's been a year since we started going out. I think all they'll ever do is barely tolerate me."

Sam didn't reply because she knew he was right.

"I talked to Cassie tonight," he said changing the subject slightly.

"What about?"

"I invited her to come stay with us over Thanksgiving break."

"And she agreed?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, Pete, that's wonderful!" She beamed at him and he felt his mood lift a little.

"I told her we'd have a big dinner. I thought could invite your father and friends."

"I hope we'll all be on world."

"That's what Cassie said. I guess they don't really celebrate Turkey Day on other planets, huh?"

"No." Sam was still smiling as she leaned over to kissed him. "Thanks, Pete."

"You know I'd do anything to make you happy, Sam." He stood up and stretched a little.

"I'm going to bed. You coming?"

"Yeah."


	10. Entropy Begins

****  
Part 10  


 

"Jack, you ready?" Daniel asked as he and Jonas walked into the general's office.

"Yeah, just a sec." Jack shrugged into a shoulder holster and made sure the gun was secure before putting on his jacket.

"Uh…ah…Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"Who are you planning on shooting at Sam's wedding?"

"One never knows," Jack said with a feral grin.

"Actually I think the general's got the right idea, Daniel," Jonas told him. "In Tauri literature a hero's wedding is often interrupted by villains attacking, such as when Reed Richards married Sue Storm and Bruce Banner married Betty Ross."

It took Daniel to determine who those characters were in literature. He glared at Jonas. "You're using comic books to defend Jack carrying a fire arm to a wedding?"

"Yeah."

Daniel considered Jonas's argument for a moment. "That's actually a really good point. The Goa'uld do have a certain comic book villain quality to them." He turned to Jack. "Can I have one too?"

***

Jack with Daniel and Jonas trailing behind him strode out of the elevator and onto the garage level where a black government Excursion was waiting to take them with Teal'c and his family to the Air Force Academy Chapel. Jack stopped in his tracks when he saw the group standing out in front of the vehicle. "Did I get the wrong memo or something? Because I was under the impression that we were going to Carter's wedding not a summer stock production of Guys and Dolls."

"Be grateful, Jack. It was either this or Pimp Master Bra'tac."

"I don't know, Daniel." Jack smiled slightly at the image. "It has a certain ring to it."

"Are we not dressed appropriately, General O'Neill?" Rya'c asked.

"If you going to the oldest established permanent floating crap game, sure."

"Jack, don't be an ass," Daniel elbowed him in the ribs.

"Why not? I'm so good at it."

"Indeed, you are, O'Neill," Teal'c confirmed.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"

"Get in the damn car, Jack!" Daniel told him irritably and Jonas grinned. He'd missed Tauri antics.

The entire ride to the Air Force Academy Chapel, Jack hummed and sometimes sang to himself various selections from the Guys and Dolls songbook, including but not limited to 'Luck be a Lady', 'Oldest Permanent Established Floating Crap Game,' 'Guys and Dolls', and 'A Woman in Love'.

There were times when Daniel was quite amazed at the depth and breadth of Jack's knowledge. He played stupid a whole lot and may even on occasion done something stupid, but he wasn't stupid. It was always a mask of some kind or another when you were dealing with Jack. Daniel had often times wondered if Jack had always closed himself off from the world or was this something that happened from years of Black Ops. He pretended not to feel anything, but he did. Intensely. And Daniel knew his friend was hurting intensely now. The woman he loved, his soul mate, was about to marry another man and Jack was forced to witness it. This had to be worse than any torture Baal could design. The casual observer couldn't tell, of course. He was in top insolent Jack O'Neill form today. Daniel couldn't help but be reminded of that old Smokey Robinson song 'Tears of A Clown'. He was using humor as a coping mechanism. Number 2 on the list of 'Ways to Deal by General Jonathan O'Neill' only surpassed by Number 1 'clamming up'. 'Clamming up' wouldn't work here today because he knew people would think it was strange that he was upset by his former 2IC marriage.

When they arrived at the Chapel, Jack went into full Brigadier General O'Neill mode. He conferred with Colonel Dixon to make sure the area had in fact been secured and would remain secure. He greeted the off world guests and military brass as they began to arrive in the fleet of black government SUVs.

The only chink in his façade was when the Tok'ra delegation had arrived. As Garshaw and Anise/Freya stepped gracefully out of their vehicle, Daniel saw Jack's shoulders tense slightly. "Here comes trouble," he muttered to Jonas who was eyeing the blonde Tok'ra's scantily clad form.

Garshaw greeted Jack briefly before moving onto to greet Daniel, Jonas, and Teal'c beside him. Then Anise/Freya came to stand in front of the general. She smiled up at him but he didn't return it. If anything his jaw clenched tighter. "General O'Neill, it is a pleasure to see you again after so long," Freya told him. "I was most pleased to hear of Colonel Carter's marriage."

"I'll just bet you were," Jack growled at her, before turning to Daniel. "Have someone to escort these ladies to their seats." He turned away quickly only to nearly run into Pete and a man who could only be Carter's brother.

"General O'Neill?" Mark Carter questioned.

"That's what the nametag says, doesn't it?"

"My father and sister speak very highly of you. I'm glad to finally meet you," he said politely but not very convincingly. Daniel could tell the two men had taken an instant dislike to each other.

Apparently, Pete picked up on the instant animosity as well and decided to intervene, "General O'Neill, Sam and I can't thank you enough for all you've done to help make this wedding possible."

"Yeah," Mark Cater broke in before Jack could reply. "It seems strange that a scientist-type geek like you could organize all this security and people so efficiently."

Jack's eyebrows shot up, "Scientist type-geek?"

"Aren't you? I mean you work with Sam with- what is it…deep space radar telemetry. Though I am shocked that Sam could meet all these strange people stuck under that mountain."

"You'd be surprised."

***

Finally after all the guests were seated and security was checked for the final time, they made their way to their seats in the chapel. Jack sat down on the front row next to a tall Nordic looking man. "That's a good look for you, Thor."

"My thanks, O'Neill. Dr. Jackson helped me to chose an appropriate image."

"He must be losing his touch. You don't look like something out of Wagner."

Daniel sighed as he sat down in between Jack and Jonas. Daniel had allowed Jonas to have the aisle seat and he knew if it had been any other person's wedding he'd be grinning maniacally at the thought of his first Tauri wedding. He glanced back at Teal'c who was sitting on the pew behind them with Ishta, Rya'c, Kar'yn, and Bra'tac. Teal'c didn't look happy either.

The wedding march started and everyone stood and turned to the aisle to see the procession. All except Jack. He stared straight forward, his face completely impassive. There was no way he could bear to watch this. In fact, Daniel couldn't bear to watch it. One way or another he knew this was day would result in the death of the Jack O'Neill that they knew and loved and the return of the haunted soulless creature that Daniel had first met. He'd seen the signs already. The way Jack had started pushing away his friends and closing down with in himself.

Daniel vaguely remembered seeing a blur of royal blue as Cassie glided by and took her position in front and a blur of white and dark blue as Sam and Jacob came to theirs. He remembered Jonas tugging on his jacket after the chaplain told them they could sit. He didn't remember hearing anything of the wedding ceremony until the chaplain uttered those fateful words: "If anyone has just cause why these two should not be joined in lawful matrimony, let them speak now or forever hold their peace." Daniel wanted to jump up and yell "Just cause! Just cause!" But he didn't. He glanced over at Jack. The man may have well been carved of stone. Then suddenly there was a voice from the back of the chapel.

"Yeah, that'd me. I kinda got a problem with his whole deal."


	11. Full Blown Entropy

**  
Part 11   
**

 

This was the happiest day of Samantha Carter's life. So why did she feel like her father was escorting her to her execution? And why did she feel like she was being righteously executed as a traitor?

Cold feet. That's what it is, she told herself. That's what it had to be. Because Pete loved her and she needed to be loved. She deserved to be loved. She deserved to have a normal life and she was going to have it. And, Holy Hannah, the Naquadah wrapped around her wrist was getting heavier with each step she took.

She noted her father sounded reluctant when he handed her off to Pete. She looked over at Pete. He grinned happily at her. She offered him as much of a smile as she could muster and was glad he held onto her so tightly, because if he didn't she was sure her knees would buckle under the weight of the Naquadah on her arm.

Sam could honestly say she didn't really hear anything the chaplain said until he uttered those fateful words: "If anyone has just cause why these two should not be joined in lawful matrimony, let them speak now or forever hold their peace."

And then the shockingly and bizarrely familiar voice: "Yeah, that'd me. I kinda got a problem with his whole deal."

If Sam had been a woman prone to swooning, she would have fainted dead away.

***

Jack had closed himself completely down. He felt nothing. No pain. No regrets. No emotions. Nothing. He was nothing. Then a disturbingly familiar voice broke though the nothingness.

"Yeah, that'd me. I kinda got a problem with his whole deal."

What was so disturbing was the fact that it was his voice, but he hadn't said anything. Had he?

There was a huge collective gasp and rustling as everyone in the building to turned the back of the chapel to see a tall lanky figure standing in the aisle at the back.

Jack felt his stomach drop out. He had said it and yet at the same time he hadn't.

"Thor," he hissed. "Beam him out of here."

"Are you certain, O'Neill?"

"No!" Daniel exclaimed turning to Jack. "Don't you think that might be- oh, I don't know- conspicuous?"

"Goddamn fucking son of a bitch," Jack cursed himself. Both himselves.

SFs had moved on either side of his evil clone, ready to drag him away on Colonel Dixon's order. "No!" a strangled voice shouted. "I want to hear what he has to say."

Jack wanted the floor to swallow him up or Thor to beam him up. Whichever could happen the fastest.

***

"What the hell?" Sam heard Pete mutter.

She turned as best she could in Pete's grasp and saw the eerily familiar young man standing at the back of the chapel. He's gotten taller and wasn't quite as skinny, she noted in scientific detachment. She saw she SFs guarding the door overcome their shocked stupor and surround him. His penetrating familiar dark eyes imploring her. "No!" she heard herself screech. "I want to hear what he has to say."

"WHAT?" Pete gasped. "Who the hell is that kid?" He got no response from the woman beside him so he turned to her brother. He looked as shocked and confused as everyone else. No answers there.

The 'kid' in question shook off the grip of the SFs and strode purposefully down the aisle to stand in front of Sam.

"Who are you?" Pete asked.

"She knows," the 'kid' smirked. "So, Carter, you want me to say this in front of God and everyone or…"

"Um, you could go back there," the chaplain, who in his 30 years officiating weddings had never had anyone object, pointed to a door beside the choir loft.

"Thanks, padre. Carter?"

She nodded.

"Sam…" she heard Pete plead as walked through the door.

***

Jack O'Neill had never panicked over anything in his life. Which had proved to be a useful trait during his years in Black Ops and at the SGC. Now at this moment he thought he was having a panic attack. He couldn't seem draw breath and the whole world seemed to be broken into a thousand different pieces, none of which he could focus on.

Apparently, Daniel noticed he was about to keel over and tugged on his arm pulling him to his feet. "C'mon, Jack, let's go…uh…check on security and see how he got in."

Jack nodded and managed to shake off Daniels grip. Then the two men walked down the aisle. Jack somehow managed not to pass out before they reached the door. He took a deep breath of the clean mountain air and collapsed on the steps.

Daniel realizing Jack's need for a moment of privacy began questioning the guards on how Mini-Jack had managed to get past them. Apparently he had an invitation but Daniel couldn't imagine why in the world Sam would invite him. After his fruitless enquiries he sat down beside Jack who was attempting to light a cigarette with shaking hands. Daniel pulled the Zippo from his fingers and Jack gave him a murderous glare until he flicked the flint effortlessly and brought the flame to the end of cigarette. Jack took a greedy drag and Daniel closed the Zippo with a snap and handed it back to his friend.

Finally, Jack spoke. "I wouldn't have done that."

"He's not you anymore, Jack. Hasn't been in two years."

"I should have let Thor dispose of his pimply ass like he wanted to."

"You don't mean that."

"Damn right I do! There shouldn't be more than one of me running around to fuck up peoples lives!" He stood abruptly. "I'm going for a walk."

Before Daniel went back inside he watched Jack walk away to the small memorial garden at the back of the chapel. There was a low buzz as the guests furiously discussed the strange events. He walked back up to the front of the chapel and he had to smile at the scene before him. Teal'c was standing in the doorway that Sam and Mini-Jack had disappeared into and was preventing an indignant Pete from entering. Daniel sat down in between Thor who observed the proceedings silently and Cassie who in his opinion was sitting entirely too close to Jonas. Cassie turned to him, "Where's Jack?"

"He a went for a walk."

"Is he ok?"

"I guess that will depend," Daniel said and then watched in fascination as Pete and Mark Carter argued with Teal'c, General Hammond, and a surprisingly calm Jacob Carter.

"Just tell me who the hell that kid is and what right does he have to object to my wedding!"

"I'm afraid that's classified, son," General Hammond said calmly.

"Fuck classified!" Mark yelled back.

"Mark, for God's sake-" his father began.

"I'm not sure how but I'm damn sure this is all your fault!" he accused his father.

Jonas leaned over Cassie and whispered to Daniel, "I don't suppose you have any popcorn on you?"

"Wish I did."

***

Sam stared at the music on the stand before her. The room that they had found a bit of privacy in was obviously a rehearsal room for the choir. She continued to stare at the black notes and anywhere else but the familiar brown eyes.

"Carter…"

"You've grown up a lot," she told him, but not looking at him. "You look more like him."

"I am him in most ways. I still love you, Carter," he said softly.

She looked up at him for the first time. He was wearing a slick black suit and black shirt very much like the one General O'Neill wore the night before. He had his hands stuffed in his pants pockets and he was nervously rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet in an achingly familiar manner. His features had matured in the two years since she'd seen him. He wasn't a boy any more but he wasn't the man she knew either.

"What do you want me to do? Leave Pete at the alter for you?"

He smiled wryly, "As much as I'd like that and, believe me, I could use the company, but no. I'm here because you should leave- Pete, is it?" She nodded and he continued, "Leave Pete for me, the other me- the template."

"I can't."

"Why? Can you honestly tell me that you love that shrub? Can you, Carter?"

"He loves me!"

"The entire male population of the base and half the galaxy loves you!" He growled in frustration and his hands coming out of his pockets their nervous energy unable to be contained. "Siler loves you. He would bend over backwards for you, but I don't see you marrying Sparky!" Sam couldn't help but smile and he pressed on. "There is no way Pete can love you like I- like he does! You know that!"

"No, I don't!"

"For cryin' out loud, Carter, we're soul mates! Do you have any idea how it felt to be without you these two years? I think about you everyday and dream about you every night. It hurts. It hurts as bad as when I lost Charlie. Don't do that to him!" he pleaded. "You'll kill him, you know it, and you'll kill yourself. For what? For some stupid fantasy with a normal guy. Well, guess what, Carter? You're not normal! You've had snakes in your head, been taken over by machines, mind stamped, tortured, and God knows what else by now. You aren't normal and you can never be. You're as fucked up as I am and I love you for it. I love ever fucked up piece. Don't tell me that bastard in the monkey suit out there wouldn't run away screaming like a little girl if he'd known what you've been through or what you could do!"

"What about-"

"Don't you goddamn say that, Carter!" He fixed her with a harsh glare and wagged a finger at her. "Don't you dare! Fuck the regulations. Both of you have been hiding behind them for years. If you really had wanted to get around them you could have. The world owes you a couple times over and I think bending the frat regs would be a small enough thanks."

"But you're not him!"

"No, I'm not, but are you going to throw away real love for some fucked up delusion of what you think love is supposed to be. And you're not even happy! I saw you walking down that aisle. Dad had to almost drag you down it. It's time to face facts, Carter." His intense passionate dark eyes bored into her.

She sighed and stared down at the Naquadah chain and medallion on her wrist. She held it out to him. "You gave me this at the rehearsal dinner last night."

He took her hand gently in his and examined the medallion. "'Following roads through the stars, I found my heart, All my love, Jack'," he read. "That's the truth."

"You can read Ancient?" she arched a questioning brow.

He smirked, "Sure and Goa'uld."

"Why do you hide it?"

"I wouldn't want ol' Space Monkey to feel less important. I just know enough Goa'uld to get by anyway. Both Teal'c and I had to learn Latin and Ancient for that time loop thing," he seemed amused at her disbelief. "What? You didn't think I could retain it?"

"I didn't think you would want to," she replied and then narrowed her eyes at him. "That reminds me, do you really have physics and astrophysics books on your self?"

"Yep, between my Calvin and Hobbes books and my Wizard of Oz first edition."

"So you do know what I'm talking about?"

"Sometimes. You're still way smarter than me." He shrugged. "I just like listening to you talk too. You get so passionate about it."

"Do you really have Armani suits in your closet?"

He laughed at that. "Used to. Can't really afford 'em with what the government's giving me these days. What did you do case my house?"

"Daniel conducted a 'archeological survey'."

"Never can trust you scientists, too damn curious."

"Why don't I know these things about you?"

His smiled turned slightly bitter, "You never wanted to know. Too busy shoving all the interesting stuff in that room, I guess."

She stared down at the Naquadah medallion and began to cry. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

He pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. "It can be okay if you let it." He pulled her head up from her his neck. "Hey, don't cry. You'll ruin you make up." He said smiling as he brushed her tears away. "You look beautiful today." He reached up to touch the camellias pinned in her hair on one side. "La Dame aux Camellias."

She snorted, "Are you trying to tell me you want me to die of tuberculosis?"

He laughed, "No." He stepped away from her, but still held her hands taking in the picture before him. The white flowers in her hair. He somehow figured that after the Shavadai incident she wouldn't want to wear a veil. The single strand pearl choker at her neck and the pearl teardrops at her ears. The simple white strapless satin dress, elegant in it's simplicity and completely Carter. "You really look amazing."

"Pete doesn't like my dress."

"He's a fool then."

"Thank you."

"So what are you gonna do?"

"Pete's a good man, but I can't marry him. It wouldn't be fair to him or me or you. I guess the rest depends on the General."

He nodded and then grinned suddenly, "What the hell were they thinking making me a general?"

"They must have been drunk." She smiled back at him and then leaned up to kiss his cheek. "Thank you so much. I think I needed someone to kick my ass."

"Hey, anytime," he stuck his hands back in his pockets. "You want me to send Pete in or maybe Dad? He could tell him."

"No, I'll tell him."

He nodded and then turned to go.

"Jack?"

He turned back around, "Yeah?"

"Why were you the one to object?"

"I had had nothing to lose and nothing to gain. So it was easy for me." He gestured to her wrist. "He did last night, but I guess you didn't want to hear."

She nodded her understanding, "Thanks again."

"Yeah, sure. You betcha."


	12. Cake

**  
Part 12   
**

 

Teal'c opened the door to reveal the kid. Pete studied the kid's face. It was completely shuttered and it was a very familiar face but he couldn't place it. "She wants to see you."

Pete was through the door before anyone could stop him again. He walked into the rehearsal room and knew by the look on her face that it was over. He sighed, "Just don't say anything, Sam."

"I'm sorry, Pete. Really I am," she told him as she held out her engagement ring to him.

"I loved you, Sam."

"I know. I thought I loved you but I was just running away. I'm sorry I used you."

"Yeah." He took the ring from her fingers. "Just tell me one thing- Who is that kid?"

She smiled, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"One of those things, huh?"

She nodded, "Goodbye, Pete."

He walked out the door and left her there alone. Within seconds of his leaving Daniel came in. "Jack's in the garden," he told her before slipping back out.

Sam was glad that there was a back door that led outside the chapel into the garden. She wouldn't have relished facing the curious and possible malevolent stares of the people in the chapel. She stood in the open door way staring at the figure of Jack O'Neill sitting on a marble bench facing a pretty little pond. His head was bowed and his arms resting on his thighs. She walked as quietly as she could out to him, but he heard her anyway. "Time to start it back up?" he asked wearily taking a drag off his smoke. Judging by the ground at his feet he'd already had quite a few.

"No," she said sitting down beside him.

"You'll get your dress dirty," he told but didn't look at her. The eyes behind his sunglasses were staring at the ducks gliding across the pond.

"It doesn't matter. I don't have much use for it now. I called the wedding off."

"So no cake, huh?"

"No, no cake."

"Damn. I was looking forward to a big hunk of cake."

She wanted to laugh at the absurdity of their conversation but she couldn't. It was so classically _them._ She glanced down at the pack of cigarettes lying between them. She open the box and pulled one out. The general politely lit it for her with his Zippo. She took a drag and was pleased that it didn't end in a coughing fit. She rested her elbow on her knee and her chin in her hand. She took another drag off of her cigarette and studied the ducks he was so fascinated by. "Y'know, this kind of reminds me of my senior prom. I ditched my date and sat behind the gym smoking and drinking tequila all night a with some other guy."

His lips upturned slightly at the image. "Were you a bad girl, Carter?"

"I had my moments." She sighed. This was going to be a lot harder than telling Pete it was over. "I owe you an apology."

"What for?"

"Pete."

"None of my business."

"Yes, it is and I'm sorry. I was just so tired of being alone and waiting for something that might never happen."

"Yes, well, everyone gets lonely," he dropped his smoke to the ground and mashed it out. He pulled another one out and played with it between his fingers. She had always loved his hands. Elegant and long fingered. So demonstrative. "I can't blame you for finding someone to warm your bed."

"You didn't."

He smiled at that. "How do you know?"

She was taken aback at that. She didn't in fact know, but it didn't seem to fit him. "You didn't," she repeated.

"No. No, I didn't," he stopped playing with the cigarette and lit it.

"So can we maybe try to start over?"

He snorted at that and said in a tone colder than she thought possible, "Carter, what the hell makes you think I'd want you now?"

"This." She held out her arm to him. The Naquadah glinted in the late afternoon sun.

"That was last night, Carter. It didn't mean a whole hell of a lot to you then. Why should it matter now?"

"Because we're soul mates."

He laughed bitterly at that. "Who said that?"

"The other you."

"All those teenage hormones are making the kid melodramatic. Everyone has their breaking point and I'm afraid you broke me, Carter. Some paltry apology isn't going to fix that. Go to your clone. Maybe he'll have you."

Sam jumped up from the bench unable bear to sit next to him any longer. "You bastard! You led me on."

"That's 'You bastard, _sir._ ' And I have never led you on. This whole fucked up 'relationship' has always been in your hands and you know it. I did whatever you wanted. The galaxy is littered with rooms we've kept shit in. So if things haven't turned out how you wanted then it's your own damn fault!"

He stood and began walking away from her and toward the gate leading out of the garden.

"Goddamn it, I love you!"

He stopped and turned to her, "It's too late to say that. I won't be your backup."

"You told me you'd always be there for me."

"I don't exactly recall that, but if I did, it didn't mean that I'd be graciously waiting for you to finish playing happy families."

"So you're just going to throw everything away just because your pride got injured."

"Ha! My pride is all I've got left, Carter. I loved you more than I have ever loved another woman. What I felt for Sara was minuscule compared what I felt for you. I would have given up anything to be with you. You hurt me, Carter. More than anything other than Charlie's death. Maybe even worse than that, because you gave me hope again. But hope is a cruel bitch. I should have known better." He started walking again and she was right on his heels. She grabbed his arm but he shook off her grasp.

Then she said the only thing that could stop him in his tracks, "Jack."

And he did stop. He spun back around and strode back to her. He grabbed her by the arms and pushed her up against the garden wall. "I could kill you, Carter."

She stared back at him defiantly. "I'm not afraid of you."

He released the grip on her arms and leaned against the wall, a hand supporting him on either side of her head. "You should be."

"No, Daniel's the one that always turns evil."

He bowed his head and stared at the ground for a few moments. When he looked back up she no longer felt the burning anger that had emanated from him. The hurt was still there but not the anger. "Damn it, Carter. No one has ever been able to get under my skin like you do." A half smile twisted his lips. "You know why Daniel's always turning to the dark side? He always touches shit he shouldn't."

"I'll take that under advisement," she told him with a small smile. She tentatively reached up and removed his sunglasses. And the hurt look in his eyes broke her heart. "I'm so sorry, Jack. Please don't leave me. I'll do whatever I have to as long as I can be with you. I'll resign. Whatever you say. I love you, Jack. I never loved Pete. I just used him because I couldn't have you. You're the only one I've ever wanted."

Jack closed his eyes and sighed deeply. "Do you really mean that or are you just telling what I want to hear because you're afraid of being alone?"

"I'm afraid of living without you in my life. I can't do that anymore. I want all of you. And I swear I'll do whatever it takes to make you happy." She reached up and caressed his cheek. "You deserve to be happy, Jack."

He opened his eyes and studied hers for a long time in his search for the truth. "I won't let you go again, Carter. Come hell or high water. This is it. No more rooms."

"No more rooms," she agreed. And suddenly she was crushed against him. The brass and ribbons on his uniform bit into her bare skin. She hid he face in his neck and wrapped her arms around him tightly.

"I love you, Carter," he whispered hoarsely in her ear. "God help me, but I can't live with out you."

They clung to each other for a long time and Sam slowly became aware of a strange shape under her arm. "Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you come armed to my wedding?"

"Yeah," he loosened his embrace just enough to see her curious expression. "I know it's weird. I wasn't planning on shooting anyone, but with SG-1's luck fire fights seem to happen in the strangest places."

She smiled and pulled completely out of his embrace. She lifted up the hem of her dress to reveal a small pistol holstered at her right calf. "I had this CO who taught me to always be prepared."

"I was a boy scout."

She quirked an eyebrow.

"For a day," he amended.

She laughed and dropped her skirt back down.

"Hey," he said grasping the material and lifting it back up. "I thought you said the lining was blue."

"I lied," she grinned mischievously and pulled skirt even higher revealing the blue lace top of her stocking and the blue straps of her garters.

"Well, that's fun," he said as she dropped to the skirt again.

They stood facing each other silently, unsure of what to say next. Then Jack slung an arm around her shoulders and began walking back towards the chapel. "C'mon, let's go get hitched."

Sam stopped, "Hitched?"

"It's all or nothin', baby," he challenged her as he dropped his arm from around her and thrust his hands into his pockets rocking slightly on the balls of his feet.

"Baby?"

"Too much?"

She smiled brilliantly at him and threaded her arm through his and continued walking. "No, I like it. And yes, Jack, I will marry you."

"Sweet."

They where nearly to the back door of the chapel when Sam paused again, "You just want to marry me for my cake, don't you?"

"Yes and I intend on eating it, too." he grinned and leaned down to kiss her quickly. She grinned back and they continued walking. "Why in the world did you invite Mini-Me to your wedding?"

"I didn't."

"Huh. Daniel said he had an invitation."

"That's odd."

"Sure is."


	13. Resolution

**  
Part 13   
**

Sam and Jack found General Hammond waiting for them in the rehearsal room. Jack grinned at him and pulled Sam a little closer to his side, "George, would you mind waiting until after the ceremony before arresting us?"

His expression was carefully neutral as he handed Jack a manila envelope. "Son, you might want to have a look at this before you do anything else."

Jack felt his stomach drop out and the grin fall from his face as he took the envelope. He glanced over at Sam who looked just as scared as he was. He released his hold on her waist and opened the envelope. He pulled out the first sheet of paper. It had the presidential seal at the top. He read it aloud, "By order of the President of the United States of America, Brigadier General Jonathan O'Neill and Lieutenant Colonel Samantha Carter are authorized to enter into a matrimonial state and allowed to retain their current positions within the United States Air Force and Stargate Command." Sam quickly snatched the paper from Jack's hand and he pulled the second paper out. It was a Colorado state marriage license with their names filed in. All they had to do was sign. Sam also snatched that from his hand. Jack felt something else at the bottom of the envelope and upturned it, catching two objects in his outstretched hand. He held them out to Sam. Two simple Naquadah wedding bands.

Sam looked up at General Hammond who was now smirk at them shamefully. "Sir, how did you know it would end up like this?"

Jack's grin returned, "Because he's a sly old son of a bitch." He wagged a finger at the other General. "You set us up. You sent Mini-Me that invitation."

General Hammond shrugged, "Jack, you once told me you might need to buy back your soul, but you never asked so I thought I might as well make a gift of it."

The papers fluttered to the ground as Sam launched herself at General Hammond to hug him. "Thank you, sir." She kissed his cheek.

"You're more than welcome, Sam. It was the least I could do considering what you and Jack have done for all of us over the years."

Jack and Sam were hand in hand as they walked back into the sanctuary. The groom's side was noticeably bare. It seemed even Sam's brother and his family had departed. Everyone on the bride's side looked at them with expectant grins(except maybe a certain blonde Tok'ra.

"Well, folks," Jack began. "It looks like there's going to still be a wedding though with a slight change of cast. If you'll just-" Jack was cut off as most the remaining guests came surging up to surround them. Sam and Jack were torn from each other's grasp.

Sam was lifted up, hugged, and spun around so many times she thought she was going to be sick. Cassie chattered madly at her side but Sam didn't hear a word she said. Daniel, Jonas, and Teal'c all hugged her so tightly she thought they would break her in two. She thought Daniel might be crying. Her father hugged her close and only said, "Finally!"

Jack thought his arm was going to be ripped out of socket by all the well meaning hand shakes and back slaps. Daniel pulled him into a rather unmasculine hug. Jack thought that archeologist may have been crying. Jonas shook his hand and grinned bigger than ever if that was possible. Teal'c grabbed his forearm Jaffa style gave him an unusually big toothy smile.

Finally Jack had had enough and tried to calm everyone down, "Hey, folks!" he called out a couple of times to no avail. Finally at a loss, he shouted in his best hard ass CO voice "KREE!" And the entire room came to a standstill. "Thank you. I think we'd like to get married as soon as possible, y'know before aliens try to invade or something."

After Cassie dragged Sam aware to repair her make up and hair, Jack turned to his friends. "I don't think I could pick just one of you guys as my best men. So, Daniel, Teal'c, Jonas, and George, you'll all have to be my best men." The four men all looked incredibly pleased. Then Jack walked to the front pew to Thor in his image induced form. "Thor, buddy, I owe you a hell of a lot. I'd like you to stand up with me as well."

"It would be my greatest honor, O'Neill."

"I now present to you Brigadier General O'Neill and Lt. Colonel Carter-O'Neill."

"Then may I present Brigadier General and Lt. Colonel O'Neill."

There was incredible uproar and the chaplain said, "General, you may kiss the bride."

And, boy, did he ever.

Then there was cake, which Jack was immensely pleased about. In fact, he was pleased about everything. Jack O'Neill was without a doubt the happiest man on Earth or on any other planet, for that matter. Ever.

Daniel and Teal'c were pretty damn happy themselves. There was finally a resolution to all the insane sexual tension that had permeated the Cheyenne Mountain Complex and half the planets in the galaxy. But then that resolution also led to another troubling thought.

"Y'know, Teal'c it's going to be hell around the SGC when they get back from their honeymoon," Daniel said as they watched Sam and Jack mingle. The newlyweds had not let go of each other since the ceremony. It was almost as if they were afraid the other would suddenly disappear, which wasn't quite out of the realm of possibility.

"How so, Daniel Jackson? I believe working conditions will be much more pleasant."

"For them maybe. C'mon, Teal'c, you know they're going to be making out all other base, God, maybe even more. I won't be able to open a supply closet without being terrified there's going to a naked Sam and Jack in there."

"We shall have to endeavor to give them their privacy."

"I'm serious. I won't be able to sit at that conference table without wondering if they've just had sex on it. You know, they had to have fantasized about that."

"Daniel Jackson, I believe the time has come for you to find female companionship. It would be preferable if she did not turn to evil."

Daniel was so shocked he could only utter, "Indeed."

Jack led Sam out onto the dance floor for their first dance together as husband and wife. In fact, it was first dance together ever.

"You can dance, can't you, Jack?"

"Sure, Carter. They teach you absolutely everything in Special Ops."

She somehow smiled and managed to look wary at the same time. "I understand Daniel picked 'our' song out for us."

"Oh, crap. We should be terrified, shouldn't we?"

There was a soft melancholy swell of music and Dean Martin began to sing:

 _Watch the sunrise on a tropic isle_

 _See the pyramids along the Nile_

 _Just remember, darlin', all the while_

 _You belong to me_

 _See the market place in old Algiers_

 _Send me photographs and souvenirs_

 _Just remember when a dream appears_

 _You belong to me_

 _I'll be so alone without you_

 _Maybe you'll be lonesome too and blue_

 _Fly the ocean in a silver plane_

 _See the jungle when it's wet with rain_

 _Just remember 'til you're home again_

 _You belong to me_

 _Fly the ocean in a silver plane_

 _See the jungle when it's wet with rain_

 _Just remember 'til you're home again_

 _You belong to me_

Jack kissed her gently, "You just remember that out there."

"And you had better remember that everywhere."

"Yes, ma'am," Jack grinned before he kissed her again. "Daniel is such a sap."


	14. Epilogue

**  
Epilogue   
**

 

 **Carter-O'Neill**

 _Lieutenant Colonel Samantha Carter, USAF and Brigadier General Jonathan 'Jack' O'Neill, USAF, both lately of Colorado Springs, were joined in holy matrimony on September 26, 2004 at 6:30 PM. The ceremony was held at the United States Air Force Academy Chapel. The bride was given away by her father, Major General Jacob Carter, USAF. The maid of honor was Miss Cassandra Frasier. The best men were Dr. Daniel Jackson, Teal'c Murray, Jonas Quinn, and Dr. Donald Blake. The couple are both stationed at the Cheyenne Mountain Complex and will reside in Colorado Springs._

Jack O'Neill tossed the paper down on the table in confusion. _Who the hell was Dr. Donald Blake?_ He leaned back and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. _At least it had worked out for the best,_ he thought. He hadn't stayed to be sure because he couldn't stand to watch Carter marry another man even if was him. Sorta. At any rate he'd done the good deed of a lifetime and should be in for some serious good karma.

"Are you done with your paper?"

He didn't even bother to pull his hands away to look at the speaker. "Sure. Take it."

"Thanks," the voice said. Then he heard a ceramic cup being set down on his table and the other chair scraping back.

He pulled his hands away from his face and glared at the newspaper concealed form in front of him. "Look here, honey, I don't know what the hell you think you're up to, but I'm not really in the mood for company right now. So scurry along."

"That's too bad, Jack. I guess I'll be on my way then." The girl dropped the paper and her face was no longer obscured. She stood to leave.

Seventeen year old Jack O'Neill nearly had a heart attack. "Carter?"

"Yes, sir."

"You've changed."

"Do you approve?"

"How could I not? Sit back down."

"Yes, sir," she giggled as she complied.

He leaned back and studied the leggy, long haired teenaged vision of loveliness that was now Samantha Carter. "How?"

She leaned forward on the tables edge and gracing him this that beautiful quirky Carter smile he'd missed so much. "I guess you could say I'm a token of their gratitude. The other you suggested a fruit basket, but the other me thought that I might be a more appropriate form of thanks."

"Definitely better than a fruit basket." He leaned on the table mirroring her pose, his face only a couple of inches from hers. "I'm gonna tell you something right now while I have the chance and before any weird stuff starts happening."

"Okay."

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

"Excellent." He reached out and cupped her face in both hands and kissed her tenderly. When they broke apart, he said, "Answer me something."

She grinned, "Question me."

"Who the hell is Dr. Donald Blake?"

"Thor."

"Thor?"

"That was Thor's alias in the comic book."

"Sammie baby, you are a certified geek."

" 'Sammie baby'?"

"Too much?"

"No, I like it."

THE END


End file.
